Gal Gadot Returns to Israel for Eretz Nehederet Election Special

Israeli voters faced a night of uncertainty on Tuesday as exit polls failed to deliver the clear mandate either major faction sought. Amid the political stalemate, the satirical program Eretz Nehederet aired a special two-part episode on Channel 12. Hollywood actor Gal Gadot joined the regular cast for the broadcast, marking a high-profile return to the domestic stage.

The first segment aired before the polls closed. In one sketch, Yuval Semo played Asher, a cab driver who picked up Gadot among the more than 70,000 Israelis who had traveled abroad to vote. Gadot had posted on Instagram earlier that day to confirm she voted for an opposition party, though she did not specify which one. Asher asked if she had returned to vote or to appear on The Masked Singer. Gadot replied that she had come to vote.

Gadot told the character she had lived outside Israel for nearly 12 years. When asked for her choice, she whispered the party name, which was bleeped out when Asher attempted to announce it. She invoked the ancient wisdom of Hillel the Elder, stating, "If not now, when?"

The actor also addressed the challenges of being an Israeli in Hollywood during a period of rising antisemitism. She described the difficulty of living abroad, noting that she often wore a mask when going out. Gadot said she tried to provide context to American audiences, observing that the perspective from the US differs from the view from Israel. She announced plans to return to Israel with her husband and four daughters, three of whom were born in the United States. The family is currently building a house in the country. The sketch concluded with Gadot taking the wheel, referencing her role in the Fast & Furious franchise, and transforming the taxi into a flying vehicle.

The initial half also featured political caricatures. Gadi Eisenkot, leader of the Yashar party, was depicted holding a sawed-off shotgun. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was shown throwing a gold suitcase of cash, a reference to Qatari funds transferred to Hamas. Another sketch mocked Netanyahu’s use of an AI-generated image of Tel Aviv during the campaign. The program also teased Naftali Bennett for missing his voting window while engaging with older citizens and showed former prime ministers confused by AI advertisements.

The second part of the special addressed the inconclusive exit polls. Sketches cast Eisenkot, Bennett, and Avigdor Liberman as contestants on a game show, navigating their promises regarding coalition partners. Members of the People of Israel Party appeared distressed that they had missed the threshold for Knesset representation. Yoseph Haddad expressed surprise at his non-election, a nod to the strong performance of other Arab parties.

The broadcast ended on a quiet note. Host Eyal Kitzis departed from his usual closing line about Israel being a wonderful country. Instead, he handed the program back to Channel 12 news anchor Yonit Levi without additional commentary.